It was almost with a feeling of irritability that he heard the quick sharp
note of the "Whip-poor-will," as she flew from bough to bough of an old
withered tree beside him. Another, and again another of these midnight
watchers took up the monotonous never-varying cry of "Whip-poor-will,
Whip-poor-will;" and then came forth, from many a hollow oak and birch, the
spectral night-hawk from hidden dens, where it had lain hushed in silence
all day, from dawn till sunset. Sometimes their sharp hard wings almost
swept his cheek as they wheeled round and round in circles, first narrow,
then wide, and wider extending, till at last they soared far above the
tallest tree-tops and launching out in the high regions of the air,
uttered from time to time a wild shrill scream, or hollow booming sound,
as they suddenly descended to pounce with wide-extended throat upon some
hapless moth or insect, that sported all unheeding in mid air, happily
unconscious of the approach of so unerring a foe.
Petulantly Louis chid these discordant minstrels of the night, and joyfully
he hailed the first gush of moonlight that rose broad and full and red,
over the Oak-hills to the eastward.
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